Image: Maurizio Pesce / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia
Two women have been accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of luggage at Salt Lake City International Airport, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Leticia Marie Torres and Brianna Marie Taylor, both 42, are accused of committing the robberies over the course of a month in January 2022, according to a prosecutor’s investigation.
According to the indictments, during the aforementioned period, Torres and Taylor repeatedly visited the airport and retrieved their luggage from the baggage carousels before their rightful owners even reached the baggage claim area. Additionally, the two women are accused of using stolen credit cards that were left in a victim’s checked luggage.
Authorities obtained video surveillance footage showing Torres and Taylor taking the bags from the carousels and making fraudulent purchases using the stolen credit cards. Some of the stolen luggage was also found in Torres’ apartment during the investigation.
Ahead of the busy vacation and ski travel season, Salt Lake City police advised travelers to keep highvalue, irreplaceable items in their carryon luggage. Additionally, the department suggested travelers reconsider purchasing luxury luggage brands as they can be an attractive target for luggage thieves.